Volkswagen Polo 1.2L GT TSI : Official Review

This is a discussion on Volkswagen Polo 1.2L GT TSI : Official Review within Official New Car Reviews, part of the Team-BHP Reviews category; Call it modern day marketing, the world has become so complex that there is nothing right or wrong in a ...

Call it modern day marketing, the world has become so complex that there is nothing right or wrong in a market place unless it harms the customer physically. So its important for customers to evolve, need to learn how to do a research and choose the right product which suits his requirement.

Coming back to the point on our little pocket rocket, since yesterday onwards i have started getting a little squeak somewhere from the left corner from the back. I thought it was something to do with the foldable back seats, did all that folding and unfolding many times but it still can be heard while hitting potholes and speed breakers. I guess its something to do with the suspension. Will get it checked later in this week from the service centre.

4 months and 4500 kms up, my GT TSI's steering started making weird noise. There was a metal-rubbing type sound every time the steering was turned beyond a certain angle. I used to own a Toyota Liva before which did not give me even a single problem in the 4.5 years of ownership and the service experience was always so good with Toyota. I had heard bad stories about VW after-sales but the GT TSI was such a good car at that price point that I ignored everything else and just bought the car. And here I was now, 4 months into the ownership and already looking at visiting the service center.

Things turned out much better though at the service center than I expected. I found a friend and fellow rider from the Bangalore CBR250R Riders Group who was working at the VW service center. He just helped expedite the things so I had to wait less while giving the car and explaining the problem. A senior technician came with me for a test drive, understood the problem and explained to me in detail what he thought was cauing the sound. The bearings had probably caught dust and required cleaning and lubrication. I could either wait for 3 hours or come back in the evening to take the car back. I chose the latter. Got a call in the evening that the car was ready. The steering sound was completely resolved after cleaning and lubrication. Also, the car was properly cleaned inside out and the bill amount was zero. I was really happy of how the issue was handled and resolved. Proper explanation of problem, on time delivery, 100% problem resolution and great cleaning at no charge, I am definitely a happy VW customer.

I'll be visiting the service center (Hessarghatta Main Road) again in 2 months for the 7500 km check up.

I can't believe SA actually told you that Not sure how he came to that conclusion but interesting.

Haha, this is nothing when compared to the incident I faced last week. We went to book a Honda Activa for my wife and wife casually inquired the difference between Activa and TVS Jupiter to the Honda sales guy. The guy got all energized and with more precision and presentation skills than my CEO, started explaining by showing a picture of JUPITER that "Jupiter has petrol tank lid outside the bike and in Honda Activa, its hidden below the scooter seat, and do you know the consequences?, it can catch fire and explode because of the temperature outside".

I was shocked and looked at him and all the Honda bikes displayed near to the Activa, and saw the helpless mercy look in his eyes. And I myself changed the topic as we went ahead with the booking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anshumandun

4 months and 4500 kms up, my GT TSI's steering started making weird noise. There was a metal-rubbing type sound every time the steering was turned beyond a certain angle.

I'll be visiting the service center (Hessarghatta Main Road) again in 2 months for the 7500 km check up.

I am facing the same issue. Hessarghatta is far away for me and I was planning to take my car to the one in Hosur road. Good to know that it requires some cleaning and lubrication only.

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Probably yes. He did help me when I was waiting for a long time for the technician to come with me for a test drive, he went inside and got the guy with him. Apart from that, no other major preference.

But the number of calls I've received after that visit from VW, it seems like they are really trying hard to improve their service. First call was from the service center customer relationship manager, second call again from the service center and third one from their Pune/Mumbai office. The service center guys were happy to hear when I rated them "extremely satisfied" and told me a couple of times to give the same rating when I get call from their head office.

The bearings had probably caught dust and required cleaning and lubrication.

Thanks anshumandun for sharing your experience. I too had the same issue in my 1-year old GT TSi and it was resolved similarly during my 1st service. The reason was quoted slightly different that rainwater splashing causes the lubrication to be washed out. I didn't believe it but re-lubrication is the solution it seems.

I am facing the same issue. Hessarghatta is far away for me and I was planning to take my car to the one in Hosur road. Good to know that it requires some cleaning and lubrication only.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidparekh

Thanks anshumandun for sharing your experience. I too had the same issue in my 1-year old GT TSi and it was resolved similarly during my 1st service. The reason was quoted slightly different that rainwater splashing causes the lubrication to be washed out. I didn't believe it but re-lubrication is the solution it seems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT145

Thanks for sharing this, exact same problem here, sound started after say 4K KM. Now this will help

I'm actually worried now that many of us have/had the same issue on a new car that has run less than 5k kms. Is this issue more serious than a case of just dust and lubrication wash away? Maybe some veterans here who've run their GT in 5 figure kms can comment?

I'm actually worried now that many of us have/had the same issue on a new car that has run less than 5k kms. Is this issue more serious than a case of just dust and lubrication wash away? Maybe some veterans here who've run their GT in 5 figure kms can comment?

This problem is not limited to Polo TSI's, my friends who got 1.2 MPI and 1.5 TDI also got same issue.

My GT Tsi has clocked 4.2 k in 5 months and i get a similar sound when the car is stationary and I turn the steering wheel clockwise/anticlockwise for 2 rotations of the steering. Is this the same for you guys?

The sound doesnt occur when you turn the steering wheel when the car is in motion

Ill be taking the car for the "6 month inspection" soon, so want to know exactly what to get them to do.

I guess these are the front strut bearings. I heard the most noise when the car was stationary and I turned the steering while parking the car in the basement parking of my apartment. I specifically mention basement parking because it was relatively silent there so it was easy to notice the sound. Otherwise when the car was moving, I almost never heard the noise.

Another observation was that there was no sound when I took the car out first time in the morning but the noise was very noticeable when I got back and parked the car so it took some running and probably heating up of the bearings before the noise surfaced. That's why I had to take a long test drive with the VW technician to reproduce the noise for him to notice.

I am assuming that its not the wheel bearings that are at fault here since the car should make noise even when driven in a straight line if the wheel bearings had problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nova9

My GT Tsi has clocked 4.2 k in 5 months and i get a similar sound when the car is stationary and I turn the steering wheel clockwise/anticlockwise for 2 rotations of the steering. Is this the same for you guys?

My GT Tsi has clocked 4.2 k in 5 months and i get a similar sound when the car is stationary and I turn the steering wheel clockwise/anticlockwise for 2 rotations of the steering. Is this the same for you guys?

The sound doesnt occur when you turn the steering wheel when the car is in motion

Quote:

Originally Posted by anshumandun

I guess these are the front strut bearings. I heard the most noise when the car was stationary and I turned the steering while parking the car in the basement parking of my apartment. I specifically mention basement parking because it was relatively silent there so it was easy to notice the sound. Otherwise when the car was moving, I almost never heard the noise.

Another observation was that there was no sound when I took the car out first time in the morning but the noise was very noticeable when I got back and parked the car so it took some running and probably heating up of the bearings before the noise surfaced. That's why I had to take a long test drive with the VW technician to reproduce the noise for him to notice.

Yes, precisely the same problem.

Same issue here also. I also feel its evident in parking because of the silence in the parking space. But I had the same issues in my Verna earlier. So I am not shocked or scared. May be its really the dust.

This is really strange. I own a 2010 Vento 1.6 TDI, with 103000 KMs clocked. I have never had this issue. Furthermore, the strut bearing plates are right below the strut mounts, which are at the top of the coil spring. The bearings are secured well, and pre-greased, too.

Unless they are using the parts from old stock, or parts from a bad batch, there really should not be a problem.